Temperature of Earth Calculator

Purpose:The temperature of Earth calculator solves for the surface temperature of the Earth, with atmopsheric processes taken into account.

Restrictions on Use: None

General Information:

  1. The sliderbars on the right of the applet allow you to change the parameters of the model.
  2. The solar constant is a measure of the amount of radiation recieved from the sun.
  3. The solar flux split is the fraction of the absorbed solar radiation that is absorbed by the upper atmosphere. The remainder of total absorbed radiation is absorbed by the lower atmosphere.
  4. The Fe fraction is the flux of latent heat leaving the surface of the Earth, expressed as a fraction of the total solar radiation that is absorbed by the surface of the Earth.
  5. The Fc fraction is the flux of convective heat leaving the surface of the Earth, expressed as a fraction of the total solar radiation that is absorbed by the surface of the Earth.
  6. The extinction is a measure of the total amount of solar radiation that fails to be absorbed by the surface of the Earth, either due to atmospheric absorption or reflection off of the Earth.
  7. The evaporation fraction is a measure of the flux of heat loss due to cooling by evaporation on the surrface of the Earth, expressed as a fraction of the total solar radiation that is absorbed by the Earth.
  8. The albedo is a measure of the reflectivity of the Earth's surface, expressed as a fraction of the total light which reaches the Earth. The remainder is absorbed.

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